[Yorio]

Welcome! Am sure you are going to enjoy your visit without notifying your friend. As much as we love our friend who took us in while we were still looking, it'll definitely give you a different perspective. This go around, you don't feel like a guest at TV but you are already a part of TV. Now, as to your other question, this is difficult. People move for all kinds of reasons. I know of a case where they moved and found the neighborhood to be not as accommodating as where they lived before. So, they are still going out with friends from their previous neighborhood. It's definitely a luck of the draw and still find great neighbors in the old established neighborhood or they have established friends already and have difficulty getting in sometimes. With the new Villages like Sanibel, St. Charles, St. James, and Tamarind Grove, every one is new and they want to establish new friends so you more likely will find great neighbors.

[MTHeineken]

Originally Posted by Yankee Quilter

MT - we are in an over 55 in Kennesaw and actually put it on the market this week hoping to move to TV! We looked, years ago in Canton but it scared me then! We have friends that went belly up there when the builder went under. Like your wife, I had intended to work for another couple of years, but lost the job in June. My husband is on a contract in DC for another 9 months. We decided to see how long it takes to sell, and I think we are ok as it is a great community and great location for Kennesaw!! When it sells to TV we go (even if I proceed him)
We are between Villa and cottage, new and resale. The best advise I get is when you see the right one you will know!! We will be down ther the 28th - 2 sorry we are going to miss you!!!

Betty
Connecticut, California, Georgia

Hey neighbor!

Good luck with your sale and move to TV. Over the last 10 years we have looked at a lot of places but TV has the Golf Car factor. The ability to virtually do everything from getting groceries to going out for entertainment by Golf Car facinates us. We currently have a great house that has a backyard with trees and Sope Creek. Thought we would never leave this house but the more I experience a potential TV lifestyle the more attractive it gets. Have not found any other place that tops it. Really looking forward to our upcoming TV immersion. Sorry we won't get to meet but have a great time.

[MTHeineken]

Originally Posted by Yorio

Welcome! Am sure you are going to enjoy your visit without notifying your friend. As much as we love our friend who took us in while we were still looking, it'll definitely give you a different perspective. This go around, you don't feel like a guest at TV but you are already a part of TV. Now, as to your other question, this is difficult. People move for all kinds of reasons. I know of a case where they moved and found the neighborhood to be not as accommodating as where they lived before. So, they are still going out with friends from their previous neighborhood. It's definitely a luck of the draw and still find great neighbors in the old established neighborhood or they have established friends already and have difficulty getting in sometimes. With the new Villages like Sanibel, St. Charles, St. James, and Tamarind Grove, every one is new and they want to establish new friends so you more likely will find great neighbors.

The total TV immersion is what we are looking for and glad you agree with our attempt to do that without the friends. Our friends fall into the same case as you expressed so I wondered how much your neighborhood affects your TV experience. Currently, I have some great neighbors for 25 years but just never wanted to socialize with them. I guess its the same in TV.

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by MTHeineken

The total TV immersion is what we are looking for and glad you agree with our attempt to do that without the friends. Our friends fall into the same case as you expressed so I wondered how much your neighborhood affects your TV experience. Currently, I have some great neighbors for 25 years but just never wanted to socialize with them. I guess its the same in TV.

mt - the variety of neighborhoods and their proximity to the various activities, restaurants, shopping opportunities, etc is the reason many newbies come to the villages and take a long term rental before they decide where they will buy! it's another option that you have - just sayin, ya know?

[MTHeineken]

Originally Posted by njbchbum

mt - the variety of neighborhoods and their proximity to the various activities, restaurants, shopping opportunities, etc is the reason many newbies come to the villages and take a long term rental before they decide where they will buy! it's another option that you have - just sayin, ya know?

Great point because I would think that would be very important unless you just liked to ride in your Golf Car. A long term rental may be in our future.

Love the Jersey girls don't pump gas. The wife lived in Cherry Hill for awhile and she doesn't pump gas either.

[Schaumburger]

MTHeineken,

Welcome to TOTV. Hope your Lifestyle Preview visit is a good one! Kitty on a leash -- love it. Don't know if my cat would walk on a leash. Definitely go to the Squares at night to see the people dancing and enjoy the good music. I recommend that you take a Trolley Tour (45 minute ride that leaves from the sales office at Lake Sumter Landing). Ask question of the residents that you meet -- most are very happy to answer questions about The Villages.

[MTHeineken]

Originally Posted by Schaumburger

MTHeineken,

Welcome to TOTV. Hope your Lifestyle Preview visit is a good one! Kitty on a leash -- love it. Don't know if my cat would walk on a leash. Definitely go to the Squares at night to see the people dancing and enjoy the good music. I recommend that you take a Trolley Tour (45 minute ride that leaves from the sales office at Lake Sumter Landing). Ask question of the residents that you meet -- most are very happy to answer questions about The Villages.

Thanks for the welcome. You folks down there are so friendly.

The wife and I both worked for Eastern Airlines for almost 20 years each so we love people watching and the squares seem to be the best places.

I think I saw a video on You-Tube of someone filming on the trolley tour and it gave some interesting facts about the place so we will be sure to go on it.

Plan on asking the residents we meet a lot of questions but having looked on TOTV for a couple of years I kinda get the gist of the feelings people have about TV. I love the suggestions to the people that are negative that if they don't like it they can leave anytime. Ha, ha. So far, during the trips we have been down there, we met a lot of snowbirds that were just down for the winter. Nice folks but not summer veterans who we would really like to meet. Like to know how they "beat the heat" in the summer.

Our feeling right now is one of high anticipation for the preview. We plan on using the Golf Car exclusively and leaving the SUV parked until we leave. Hopefully, the noise from the gas Golf Car won't scare the cat and we can take him around with us. Couldn't have kids thus no grandkids so we only have our cat to spoil. Kind of a kid in a cat suit that we take everywhere. Call us nuts but he loves it and so do we.

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by MTHeineken

One question ... how important is it when picking a neighborhood? In other words does it make a difference what neighborhood you live in? Is that why some people move after living there awhile? Or is it just wanting a different type home (villa or house)?

The new neighborhoods are going to be close to the new town square, but a fair trek to Sumter landing and a long way from spanish springs. The new neighborhoods will facilitate making friendships with neighbors as everyone is moving in together. If you go pre-owned, you can choose to live anywhere, for example we like the area close to 466 and west of Buena Vista because of it's proximity to almost everything. Some people like the older sections, and some like the northwest corner in marion county - in other words there is something to like about every area, and it just depends on what your priorities are. No bad choices

Originally Posted by MTHeineken

Hey neighbor!

Good luck with your sale and move to TV. Over the last 10 years we have looked at a lot of places but TV has the Golf Car factor. The ability to virtually do everything from getting groceries to going out for entertainment by Golf Car facinates us. We currently have a great house that has a backyard with trees and Sope Creek. Thought we would never leave this house but the more I experience a potential TV lifestyle the more attractive it gets. Have not found any other place that tops it. Really looking forward to our upcoming TV immersion. Sorry we won't get to meet but have a great time.

We too are living in our "retirement dream home" on a lake with all the toys. However, after experiencing the Villages, our dreams have taken a new form, and we will be residents of TV sometime in '12.

[MTHeineken]

We too are living in our "retirement dream home" on a lake with all the toys. However, after experiencing the Villages, our dreams have taken a new form, and we will be residents of TV sometime in '12.

So giving up living on a lake huh? Wow that is as idyllic as it gets.

Just curious as to what kind of lot in TV are you looking at after living on a lake?

[eweissenbach]

Originally Posted by MTHeineken

We too are living in our "retirement dream home" on a lake with all the toys. However, after experiencing the Villages, our dreams have taken a new form, and we will be residents of TV sometime in '12.

So giving up living on a lake huh? Wow that is as idyllic as it gets.

Just curious as to what kind of lot in TV are you looking at after living on a lake?

We have lived on the lake for 8 1/2 years and love it, but we are ready to downsize and simplify. The lake property is constant work in the spring and summer, and we feel very isolated in the winter - 60 miles from kansas city and st. joseph. We want to buy a place with a pool or room for a pool - we have previously owned four homes with pools.

[MTHeineken]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

We have lived on the lake for 8 1/2 years and love it, but we are ready to downsize and simplify. The lake property is constant work in the spring and summer, and we feel very isolated in the winter - 60 miles from kansas city and st. joseph. We want to buy a place with a pool or room for a pool - we have previously owned four homes with pools.

Attachment 1309

Wow, what a great backyard. Gotta be tough to leave? So neighbors close by you will be no problem? or you going walled courtyard for a bit of privacy?

I currently have a salt water hot tub that I love. A small pool would be nice down there to beat the heat. My wife is of English decent so she does not take to the sun well so would have to have shade. All in all is pool maintenance a lot of work? The salt hot tub is a piece of cake.

I know what you mean by isolated as my brother lives on a lake and has to drive 35 minutes (over 1 hour RT) to get a pizza or anything else. That part of it has kept me away from lake living. My current backyard creek 1 mile from a pizza was good enough.